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Physlet® Physics Newton's Laws Illustrations JS Package

written by
Wolfgang Christian,
Mario Belloni, and
Jack Taylor

The Physlet® Physics Newton's Laws Illustrations Package contains JavaScript adaptations of Physlet Illustrations from Physlet Physics Chapter 4. In this package we explain why objects move or do not move using the concept of force. Students need to interact with the Physlet, but the answers to the questions posed in the Illustration are given or are easily determined from interacting with it. Some Illustrations provide examples of physics applications while others are designed to introduce a particular kinematics concept. Typical uses of Illustrations would include reading assignments prior to class and classroom demonstrations.

The Physlet® Physics Newton's Laws Illustrations Package was developed using the Easy Java/JavaScript Simulations (EjsS) version 5. Although EjsS is a Java program, it can create stand-alone JavaScript programs that run in almost any PC or tablet.

Newton's First Law and Frames of Reference
A ball popper on a cart (not shown to scale) is shown moving on a track in three different animations. In each animation the ball is ejected straight up by the popper mechanism at t = 1 s. What would the motion of this ball and cart look like in different reference frames?download 309kb .zip
Last Modified: January 22, 2017

Ill 4.2: Free-Body DiagramsThis illustration demonstrates how we analyze the motion of an object using forces. We draw a picture that shows only the object and the direction of the forces known as a free-body diagram. This Illustration analyzes the forces on a block in the x direction and then …
This illustration demonstrates how we analyze the motion of an object using forces. We draw a picture that shows only the object and the direction of the forces known as a free-body diagram. This Illustration analyzes the forces on a block in the x direction and then the forces in the y direction as it is pushed by an external force.

Ill 4.3: Newton's Second Law and Force
A force is a push, a pull, or any other interaction, exerted by one object on another object. In this Illustration the user interacts with a 1.0-kg cart and observes the motion. Velocity and acceleration graphs are also displayed.download 326kb .zip
Last Modified: January 22, 2017

Ill 4.4: Mass on an Incline
A mass is on a frictionless incline as shown in the animation. Users adjust m, the mass of the block (100 grams < m < 500 grams), and ? the angle of the incline (10° < ? < 45°), and view how these changes affect the motion of the mass.download 326kb .zip
Last Modified: January 22, 2017

Ill 4.5: Pull Your WagonsTwo toy wagons, attached by a lightweight rope (of negligible mass), are pulled with a constant force using another lightweight rope (again of negligible mass). What is the force of the hand on the rope? What is the force of the red wagon on the rope? To answer these …
Two toy wagons, attached by a lightweight rope (of negligible mass), are pulled with a constant force using another lightweight rope (again of negligible mass). What is the force of the hand on the rope? What is the force of the red wagon on the rope? To answer these questions, you must define the system that you are considering and apply Newton's second law.

Ill 4.6: Newton's Third Law and Contact ForcesThis Illustration shows graphs of position, velocity, and acceleration vs. time for a 2-kg red block pushed by a 12-N force on a frictionless horizontal surface. The red block is in contact with (and therefore pushes on) the green 1-kg block. Determine what contact …
This Illustration shows graphs of position, velocity, and acceleration vs. time for a 2-kg red block pushed by a 12-N force on a frictionless horizontal surface. The red block is in contact with (and therefore pushes on) the green 1-kg block. Determine what contact forces are required to make the motion of the blocks physical.

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